Fixture 2026 Fixture

[Seattle Mariners]

As a VIC I actually enjoy showdown games as they’re usually close, medium to high scoring games with the occasional dust up - can’t ask for much more in a game. Far more enjoyable than Western Derbies.

Showdowns work best on a Saturday night IMO.

 

[L_W_P]

Hardly anyone cares about it outside of South Australia. You guys get the game on FTA anyway, so why would it be broadcast nationally?

Why should Geelong v Hawthorn? Or Essendon v Richmond?

Give the SA, WA, NSW & QLD teams FTA fixtures on Friday nights each season and see what happens.

If we are getting 40+ Thursday/Friday night games on FTA each season then having 4 of those games dedicated to non Vic state rivalry games is fair enough Id think.

If the Showdown was the Thursday night game to open Gather Round in SA every year it would be enormous!

 

[Elixuh]

It’d be good not to get reamed by the fixturing for a third year running.

 

[jwikked]

Why should Geelong v Hawthorn? Or Essendon v Richmond?

Give the SA, WA, NSW & QLD teams FTA fixtures on Friday nights each season and see what happens.

If we are getting 40+ Thursday/Friday night games on FTA each season then having 4 of those games dedicated to non Vic state rivalry games is fair enough Id think.

If the Showdown was the Thursday night game to open Gather Round in SA every year it would be enormous!

Because if those Vic teams don’t get the national FTA slot, people in Victoria don’t get to watch their team play.

If you live in Adelaide, you get all port and Adelaide games on FTA. if you live in Sydney, you get Sydney and GWS games on FTA.

This isn’t the case in Victoria.

 

[POSA98]

Hardly anyone cares about it outside of South Australia. You guys get the game on FTA anyway, so why would it be broadcast nationally?

The question is why shouldn’t it be broadcast nationally. As I said in my previous post it’s one of if not the biggest rivalry in the competition. It deserves more exposure. And PS: there’s plenty of interest outside of SA

 

[bzparkes]

Hardly anyone cares about it outside of South Australia. You guys get the game on FTA anyway, so why would it be broadcast nationally?

Huh? Heaps of people like to watch it. It's usually a very entertaining and spicy match.

Other rivalries don't have that anymore, outside of Touk Miller vs Dane Zorko and maybe we'll see a Harley v JHF rematch next year.

This trade period is probably the reason many are looking forward to Hawthorn and Essendon next year.

 

[jwikked]

The question is why shouldn’t it be broadcast nationally. As I said in my previous post it’s one of if not the biggest rivalry in the competition. It deserves more exposure. And PS: there’s plenty of interest outside of SA

Huh? Heaps of people like to watch it.

If this was true, it would be on FTA. The fact is, it doesn't really rate outside of Adelaide. Which is why Channel 7 don't want to waste one of their slots in Melbourne for it.

 

[bzparkes]

If this was true, it would be on FTA. The fact is, it doesn't really rate outside of Adelaide. Which is why Channel 7 don't want to waste one of their slots in Melbourne for it.

Have you considered that maybe Fox request it?

Better than Essendon/Carlton/Saints snorefests in primetime.

 

[jwikked]

Have you considered that maybe Fox request it?

They don't, lol.

Best frenemies: the theatre and politics of Crows, Port and Showdown - News | InDaily, Inside South Australia

InDaily

www.indailysa.com.au

Seven effectively gets two big AFL matches for the price of one.

Olsen – even with Koch as an ally and with direct access to Seven boss Kerry Stokes – is, as with the Port Adelaide heritage jumper, on a pre-ordained battleground here. Seven repeatedly prefers to “double dip” by taking the ratings in Victoria and New South Wales with the Melbourne-Sydney clash and also grabbing the prime audience in South Australia with the Showdown, while Fox Footy picks up the production costs at Adelaide Oval.

 

[bzparkes]

They don't, lol.

Best frenemies: the theatre and politics of Crows, Port and Showdown - News | InDaily, Inside South Australia

InDaily

www.indailysa.com.au

Got a recent article?

 

[Dirty Bird]

Are you serious? The Showdown is one of if not the biggest rivalry in the AFL today. And definitely deserving of a prime time slot at least once per season

Your argument is poor.
Dont get me wrong. I believe it's the best rivalry in the game at the moment.
But primetime should be the biggest games of the week.
And a mismatch is not a game worthy of primetime.
If we're even and top half come mid year. Sure, do it for the 2nd game in the floating weeks.

But if you're arguing to do it in the first half. You're blinded.

 

[bzparkes]

Your argument is poor.
Dont get me wrong. I believe it's the best rivalry in the game at the moment.
But primetime should be the biggest games of the week.
And a mismatch is not a game worthy of primetime.
If we're even and top half come mid year. Sure, do it for the 2nd game in the floating weeks.

But if you're arguing to do it in the first half. You're blinded.

How many primetime games did Carlton and Essendon get again?

 

[kid_a]

Hardly anyone cares about it outside of South Australia. You guys get the game on FTA anyway, so why would it be broadcast nationally?

Hard disagree that nobody outside SA cares.

It's developed into one of the most anticipated match ups on the footy calender, here in WA virtually everyone in the footy media talk it up as the best match up in the AFL and everyone at my local footy club gets keen af to watch it when it rolls around.

Even most Vic journos who have any credibility say it's the best rivalry in the game now, or at least on par with the best.

It's also a match up, that more than pretty much any other over the last decade, is most likely to deliver drama and intensity than any other pairing of two teams, which is a great advert for the game for casual tv footy viewers and channel flippers.

 

[jwikked]

It's also a match up, that more than pretty much any other over the last decade, is most likely to deliver drama and intensity than any other pairing of two teams, which is a great advert for the game for casual tv footy viewers and channel flippers.

If that was true, Channel 7 would show it nationally lol.

They have the data to back up their choice.

 

[daniel_4tw]

Showdown should be prime time because they’re generally close games with memorable moments, regardless of ladder positions.

Why people would prefer to watch Essendon/Carlton lose by 10 goals every Friday I’ll never understand.

 

[jwikked]

Why people would prefer to watch Essendon/Carlton lose by 10 goals every Friday I’ll never understand.

Essendon and Carlton fans tuning in will rate higher than people tuning into Adelaide vs Port Adelaide from Melbourne

 

[daniel_4tw]

Essendon and Carlton fans tuning in will rate higher than people tuning into Adelaide vs Port Adelaide from Melbourne

How does the AFL know that when they've never tried. I don't think that's what the data actually says.

I can't show you a standalone prime time Showdown number because its never happened, but looking at channel 7's ratings, the Friday night Crows/Lions (696k) received more viewers than standalone Friday night games of Carl/WB (649k), Saints/Carl (594k) & Ess/Ric (634k) last year just taking a quick look.

Its a myth that these teams draw viewers when they're losing and I would guess a good percent turn the game off before half time which can't think advertisers would be happy about.

 

[Demon13304]

Essendon and Carlton fans tuning in will rate higher than people tuning into Adelaide vs Port Adelaide from Melbourne

Carlton and Essendon Thursday/Friday games did not rate that well in the 2nd half of the year. To top it off, Channel 7 chose not to air the Carlton vs Essendong r24 game - which says it all really.

 

[Viceregal]

Probably why the opening game was Tigers v Blues - both teams can still hold a level of hope which might be gone by the second round...

 

[JPetro83]

Its laughable when Vics think that Coll/Carl or Carl/Ess are the biggest rivalries in the AFL. Those rivalries are PG rated, family fun cheeky banter. The Showdown is the biggest and most fierce rivalry in the AFL.. 100% the number 1 rivalry. Its pure hatred between the two sets of fans and 2 clubs. I for one have lost mates, stopped talking to family etc because of the rivalry, xmas day, family functions, parties etc will sometimes turn into heated arguments etc over the crows/port lol. 9/10 the games are classics. it's must watch. it deserves a stand-alone a Friday night time slot.
I would love a friday night showdown.. gives you the whole weekend to get over a loss if you lose before going to work on a Monday morning

 

[Rail King]

I love reading the stuff South Australians say on bigfooty. They really do believe Adelaide is the centre of the universe.
Probably the funniest was the guy who went berserk when it was suggested there would be Australians who don't know who Jack Oatey is. ( whoever that is )

 

[Viceregal]

I love reading the stuff South Australians say on bigfooty. They really do believe Adelaide is the centre of the universe.
Probably the funniest was the guy who went berserk when it was suggested there would be Australians who don't know who Jack Oatey is. ( whoever that is )

I heard a song by a group called Home Free called Hillbilly Bone ... in the opening stanza it included 'I had a friend in New York City, he never heard of Conway Twitty'.

Well I had no idea who Conway Twitty was and looked it up and apparently it was the country equivalent of someone saying they had never heard of Elvis Presley.

That being said I don't know who Jack Oatey is either...

 

[Seattle Mariners]

I'd love this thread to change course from the showdown discussion.

Last year Gather Round was released on 11 Nov and opening round on 12 Nov.

Expect next week to get a couple of leaks.

The she'll all fire up from the week starting 10 Nov.

 

[JPetro83]

I love reading the stuff South Australians say on bigfooty. They really do believe Adelaide is the centre of the universe.
Probably the funniest was the guy who went berserk when it was suggested there would be Australians who don't know who Jack Oatey is. ( whoever that is )

Get educated champ. general footy knowledge.

 

[KissKiss]

Is there a reason every man and his dog is picking Lions vs Geelong to start the season

People are a bit obsessed with a grand final rematch to open the season, despite it not really being a great option.

Couple of reasons not to do it:

• Generally the first round/game gets heaps of hype anyway (almost any fixture will work so why waste a premium one)
• GF teams tend to start slow so it wont be the best game either
• You can save the game for a few weeks in once the teams have got going and you can build up to the rematch